Vertibird East
by Lord Vukodlak
Summary: Following the second battle of hooverdam the Enclave flew east escaping the reach of the NCR and any who would dare to follow. Now they've arrived at there destination. Capital Wasteland.
1. Chapter 1: Welcome to DC

_Following the second battle of hooverdam the Enclave Remnant flew there Vertibird East to going as far from the NCR as possible. There destination Washington DC._

Chapter 1: Welcome to DC

The cramped Vertibird flew over the ruins of Baltimore, heading towards Washington DC. Six people occupied the flying machine. Henry, Johnson, Kreger, Moreno, Daisy and even Arcade Gannon. They were the remnant of Navarro who during the climatic battle of Hoover dam helped The Courier drive back Caeser's Legion and put the Legate in is grave.

"Explain to me one more time why we flew all the way here." Arcade grumbled from the front seat next to Daisy. As the Vertibird sailed between the skeletal sky scrappers of downtown Baltimore.

"Because after that show at the Hoover dam the NCR would be looking for us. And I don't plan spending the rest of my days in an NCR prison" Called Henry from the back. The Vertibird made a hard left around the skeletal remains of a sky scrapper causing the occupants to jerk in there seats.

"And we don't get much further then Washington DC, don't think any of us will live long enough to see the NCR expand this far, except perhaps Arcade here" Daisy said as the Vertibird swerved around another one of the ruined buildings, jerking them yet again.

Everyone save Daisy tensed up as the Vertibird actually flew through the steel frame. "And its not like we have anywhere else to go." groaned Kreger getting a little dizzy from the wild flying.

"Do you think they know what happened to Navaro back in 2250?" questioned Moreno

Arcade shook his head. "According to our dear friend the Courier, the Eyebot ED-E audio logs revealed it came from Adam's Airforce base in DC. And its mission was to reach Navarro, if they knew it had already fallen they wouldn't have sent it"

"Unless the high command covered it up." Johnson added.

The Vertibird contiuned its acrobatics through the ruins of Baltimore making the Remnant save for the pilot extreemly queesy. "Why can't you just fly higher to avoid them all together Daisy" Johnson grumbled when a hard right slammed him hard into his harness. Usually Enclave troopers wore there armor when they got strapped in, but wearing it constantly on such long flights was draining so they put all the power armor into storage.

"But where's the fun in that?" the old pilot smiled but never taking her eyes off the sky.

"I had to ask" Johnson laughed. Daisy loved to fly and had often taken the opportunity to jack knife around skyscrappers when they flew through a major city. The first time she did it Johnson he nearly got a concussion because he neglected to properly secure his harness. But Daisy was happy, happier then she had been in a long time having been able to fly again every day for the past couple weeks as the flew from one abandoned base to another to secure supplies and fuel.

"At least she's not buzzing along ten feet off the ground anymore" Arcade added glancing back to the passenger compartment. Her low flying exercise ended after tey very nearly collided with a very surprised deathclaw

Moreno could only smile, "I wonder what Old Autumn has done sense he took the majority of the Enclave east, bet they have a whole American Country by now." Once they cleared the ruined city scape of Baltimore Daisy was able to up the throttle so it didn't take long to close the forty mile distance to DC. They had just passed over Raven's Rockw when Daisy looked to the horizon and spotted two approaching Vertibirds from the north.

"Looks like they picked us up on there radar" Daisy said as the two aircraft pulled up along either side of theirs. "To bad ours isn't functioning, dam legion sniper and his anti-material rifle"

Moreno smiled at the approaching craft "An Enclave welcoming party what a day" Arcade could swear the old man was getting younger the closer they got to Washington. He didn't sound like a tired bitter old man anymore. Arcade was sure he was going to be sick if old Moreno got anymore cheerful.

Judah exited his harness and made his way to the radio in the cockpit. He fiddled with the dials before speaking into the transmitter. "This is captain Kreger of Navarro, thanks for the welcoming we could use a guide, we're not exactly sure where to land this thing." The radio remained silent for a few minutes before Kreger tried another frequency repeating his message.

"I don't like this" Arcade fidgeted nervously. "You don't think there going to shoot us down?"

"Relax Arcade there probably checking our registration for security purposes" Moreno assured the young doctor.

"Attention Vertibird VEM-105-2193 you will lower you're landing gear and proceed with us to Adam's Air Force base for debriefing." The voice coming through was cold, almost ruthless and certainly threatening. While it worried the young Arcade Gannon to the Judah and his squad it was comfortingly familiar.

"Guess you won't be able to drop Arcade and off early" Lamented old doctor Henry. The plan had been to fly to a settlement and let Henry and Arcade go, as neither doctor had any real desire to go back or into the Enclave ranks. Being a couple thousand miles from the NCR was good enough.

"Relax Henry, except for Arcade were all old enough to qualify for discharge from military service, and Arcade here is well above drafting age" Kreger assured them. It didn't take long to fly to Adam's Air Force base which was just north of the ruins of DC. The the sun shone brightly on the three Vertibirds flying through the sky. Daisy wondered if she'd ever fly again but the past few weeks had been magical.

"What's that?" questioned Arcade pointing to the ruins of the mobile base crawler.

"No idea" Daisy responded, "What about you guys" The rest of the Remnant shook there heads as Daisy brought the Vertibird into a decent that put the crawler into view.

"We'll ask them later, I'm sure they'll be lots of questions on both sides" Moreno said as started to undo his harness. He was eager to step outside and meet the current generation of the Enclave. The escorting crafted continued on after Daisy touched down and Remnant dislodged themselves from the seats and Kreger opened the hatch. As they climbed out one by one they were greeted by four soldiers in an especially massive suits of power armor they didn't recognize. Two of the troopers wielded a Plasma Rifles, one a Gatling Laser, and another had a Tri-beam laser rifle. Among the soldiers was a tall young man with Red Hair and shades. He wore a black officers uniform with a white overcoat, he had a plasma rifle holstered on his back as well.

"Well this is unexpected" the officer spoke and in that instant Arcade noticed the Remnant had snapped to attention with a salute, he quickly followed suit. "A vertibird flies in out of the blue crewed… mostly by old folk." Kreger found this man intreging. He wore the uniform of a seasoned officer a Colonel from the insignia but he looked to be in his early to mid twenties. Despite the power armor Kreger could tell his men held a great respect and admiration for the man. He could also tell the troopers were itching to shoot at a moments notice. It made him nervous but then the Enclave never handled surprises well.

"I am Colonel Jack Romuald, if you follow me into one of the hangers we'll begin your debriefing while a couple of my men secure your craft and equipment" The group simply nodded an affirmative and followed after Col. Romuald. Two of the troopers went inside the old Vertibird and started hauling out the weapons and armor as the Remnant were escorted the way.

"Sir if I may ask what model power armor is that?" Moreno asked gesturing to the silent troopers. Jack turned to Judah then looked to the power armored troopers. "It's the newest model its called Hellfire power armor maybe you'll have the chance to try one on later" Moreno smiled at the thought

Their escorts led them to an old hanger filled with various empty cages with energy shield doors. "They used to house the deathclaws here," he said gesturing to one of the cages.

"You didn't try engineering them to talk again did you?" Henry asked, that made the troopers stop along with Jack.

"Talking… deathclaws, I don't even want to know who thought it as a good idea to take one of the wastelands most deadly killing machine and making it smarter." Jack just shook his head in disblief at the thought of intelligent deathclaws. "Anyway the ones kept here were all regular deathclaws but with control devices attached to there heads."

"So we have your temporary accommodations prepared," Jack gestured into one of the cages where a few bunk beds, chairs and a table had been hastily set up. "Until your debriefing is complete it's the best we can do for security purposes you understand right?"

"Of course bunch of old guys fly in unannounced" beamed Moreno. "You need to take precautions," Arcade could tell that for Moreno the man had come home he was among the Enclave again; he was among his America again.

The Remnant went inside and the force field went up, "I'll be back shortly to begin the debriefing after my own report." Jack explained before turning to leave, the two power armored guards who escorted them stayed behind.

Jack walked across to the opposite hanger where Sarah Lyon's was leaning against the wall beside her father Elder Lyons who sat in a chair drinking some Aqua Pura.

"So how did it go? The Elder asked plainly.

"They bought it," smiled Jack otherwise known as The Lone Wanderer.


	2. Chapter 2: Earlier that day in Megaton

Chapter 2: Earlier that day in Megaton.

A loud pounding on his door startled Jack from his slumber. "For the love of god" he muttered angrily. He dragged himself from bed in his Megaton house. His bedmate simply covered her ears and tried to ignore the sound and go back to sleep. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" he shouted as he descended the stairs. The frantic pounding on the door continued. He hopped over Dogmeat who was sleeping at the bottom of the stairs.

Jack slammed the door open to see Initiate Flash. "You better have a damn good reason to be pounding on my door at this hour" he yelled, making the young recruit from Big Town quiver. For the past couple years the brotherhood had kept an Initiate or two stationed in Megaton at all times to help monitor the coming and goings in the wasteland. But most importantly they wanted to be able to contact Jack should the Lone Wanderer be needed.

"We… we…." Flash stuttered, "We just received a communication from Adam's Air force base. The radar system has picked up something flying through Baltimore, probable vertibird."

"Oh that is a good reason" Jack's mood brightened. "And terrible news" he sighed. "Give me a minute I'll gather some equipment then I'll set off to Adam's" Jack closed the door of his house and walked over to his equipment locker. Most of his toys were kept in the Megaton Armory but what he had one hand should be sufficient. After all a single Vertibird wasn't much of a threat. Which was exactly the problem, it raised to many questions why just one? If it was an attack there should be a dozen vertibirds.

Deciding to forgo combat armor for something more comfortable Jack donned colonel autumns old coat. Say what you would about Autumn and the Enclave but Jack thought at least they had good taste in clothes. If necessary he'd use whatever power armor the BoS had available once he reached Adam's Air force base.

From the same storage locker he grabbed his trusty Plasma Rifle a gift from Harkness along with a supply of microfusion cells and a few plasma grenades. More possibilities swirled in his head. Could they be sending an envoy? But if that was the case wouldn't they'd radio ahead so we don't shoot it down. Of course maybe it wasn't a Vertibird at all. Before the war mankind had built all kinds of flying machines, so it wasn't impossible.

He left a short note by the door and headed outside, it was a beautiful spring morning, the sun just rising above the walls of Megaton and the sound of a brotherhood Vertibird flying overhead.

"Well" Jack said as he watched the craft make a landing just outside the walls. "Guess it saves me a long walk" As he headed for the gate he could see Harden Simms making out with Maggie Creel in front of Simms's house. "You might want to slow it down" Jack warned but alas it was too late. Lucas opened the door and drenched the couple with a bucket of water.

"That should cool you two down," the old sheriff laughed. "Maggie you run along home, my son has chores to do." It was the third time that month Jack at witnessed such an event. The last time it was Billy in front of the Brass Lantern. Billy and Lucas were determined not to become grandfathers in the near future.

Jack made his way out the front gates and waved to Craterside Supply owners, Moira and Rory McLaren who were currently haggling with Crow over some new clothing for there two year and a half year old son Johnny.

When he arrived at the Vertibird Paladin Kodiak was waiting. "Sentinel Romuald" he saluted.

"At ease" Jack smirked and they shook hands at the elbow. "So I hear we have a possible Vertibird on its way here." Kodiak nodded. After patting each other on the back the two climbed into the Vertibird before its engine revved up for take off.

Jack strapped himself in to the co-pilots chair and exchanged greeting with the pilot Junior Knight Pek. "We picked it up on radar less then an hour ago. We've scrambled our two other Vertibirds to intercept. Elder Lyon's is on the line for you" Kodiak explained as he strapped himself in as the Vertibird took to the air

Jack picked up the radio receiver and got strait to business. "Elder Lyon's any confirmation on the identity of our flying friends?"

"Jack its nice to hear from you again." The old mans warm voice flowed over the radio. "Our birds have entered visual range and can confirm it's a Vertibird its registration number VEM-105-2193 matches Enclave records as a craft out of Navarro."

"Navarro" Jack questioned. "I thought you said the NCR blew that place to hell in 2250, thirty years is a really long time to be retreating east."

"Whatever there origins or intentions I've ordered our vertibirds to intercept do you have any suggestions?" the aged elder questioned.

"Well" Jack rubbed his chin. "Assuming they're Enclave they probably don't know what happened to Raven's Rock or Adams. Or they'd be really crazy to come here alone."

"So what are proposing…?" The Elder had an inkling to what the he had in mind.

"Pretend we're Enclave, it will make capturing their Vertibird and other equipment easier, and we can learn why there hear without it getting messy and unpleasent, we just need some unpainted enclave armor and keep our own men out of sight." Jack was positively tickled at his idea.

After a minute of silence the elder finally responded. "We'll have everything prepared for when you and they arrive. Lets hope this works." Jack sat back in his chair and relaxed enjoying the view from up high.

"Think the slavers will ever comeback there." Pek asked as they flew over Paradise Falls. It had been years sense Jack annihilated the slavers of paradise falls and their former base still sat empty. The people of the wasteland considered it haunted, either by the countless souls it condemned to a life of servitude or by the massacre that ended it.

"If they do" Kodiak smirked. "Jack will make sure they move out real quick… in body bags"

"Or dust pans." Pek added causing the three of them to erupt in laughter. "If they do come back mind inviting me to the party?"

"Sure" Jack laughed. "But you bring the plasma grenades"

"Not a problem." Pek smiled. The rest of the flight was uneventful and the Vertibird touched down near the hangers. As Jack exited he was greeting my Elder Lyon's and his daughter Sarah.

"You've arrived in the nick of time, they'll be landing any moment." The Elder said gesturing to the approaching Vertibird and its two escorts. Jack nodded and looked to see four paladins frantically putting on some black hellfire armor.

"Do you have a plan?" Sarah questioned.

"Sense I already have the coat, I'll just pose a colonel that should be enough for them to tell us everything they know" Jack adjusted his collar as he spoke. "If we can find you a suit you could be President Lyon's"

"No thank you, being elder is quite enough responsibility" The Elder let out a heavy sigh and took drink of Aqua Pura. "You could try Tristan assuming you managed to manhandle him into something other then his power armor."

Both Sarah and Jack laughed at the Elders joke, noticing the new vertibird had arrived it was time to get to work. "Here hold this" Jack said tossing Owyn's his pip-boy. "That might look suspicious." The aged elder caught the device without missing a step. "Keep that away from the scribes the last time I took it off I had to chase one down for an hour to get it back."

The Elder simply ignorant the comment and continued with the matter at hand. "We have a holding area set up using one of the old deathclaw pens." Owyn and Sarah watched from a distance as Jack greeted the new arrivals. "They look to be my age" the Owyn remarked upon seeing them descending the ramp. "Most of them anyway"

"Do you think this will work?" questioned Sarah while she paced back and forth but never taking her gaze of Jack as he led the remnant to the holding cell.

The elder ran a hand over his beard. "We've already secured a vertibird and whatever else is inside, at this point I'd say it has worked. All that's left is to see if they know anything useful." The Elder sat down in a nearby chair and took another drink of Aqua Pura. Age was slowly catching up with him.

After escorting the remnant to the holding cell, Jack swiftly made his way back to them. Elder Lyon's turned to regard Jack. "So how did it go? He asked plainly.

"They bought it," Jack smiled, "I even know who to debrief first, he's really enthusiastic and happy to be here I don't imagine I'll have any trouble getting him to talk."

Jack had so little trouble getting Moreno to talk it was five hours before the first debriefing was over.


	3. Chapter 3: Relevations

During the five hours Moreno was in debriefing the Remnant passed the time anyway they could. Daisy, Judah and Henry were currently engaged in a three way game of Caravan

"Looks like I'm about to win this round" Daisy smirked as she put her second caravan up to 26. This went well with her first caravan also 26.

"You always did gloat to soon," Judah laughed before placing down a king, turning Daisy's newly acquired 26 to 36. "You're not winning this one Daisy."

Henry simply rolled his eyes laid down eight of clubs, completing the third caravan. Though in a 3-way caravan the game didn't end until each Caravan had been sold twice between the three of them, instead of just once.

Johnson was resting his eyes while Arcade was reading a copy of the wasteland survival guide. "You know this book is from the DC area originally, its kind of odd the Enclave aren't even mentioned in here." The blonde doctor remarked. "Its kind of amazing a few copies of his made it all the way to the Mojave."

"Well the Enclave always liked to operate in the dark, wouldn't do to have a book published that talked about them." Judah answered as he laid down a joker, bringing everyone else's sold caravans back below 20.

"So either they don't know the Enclave are out here or the Enclave censored the book, that sounds about right" Arcade quipped. "That colonel, something about him feels off and his name sounds familiar like I've heard it before."

At this time Moreno finally returned escorted by two guards in hellfire armor. "Pull up a chair, maybe we can make this a four way game" Judah offered Moreno who nodded and sat down with his own deck.

They also brought some lunch, which consisted of Brahman burgers and some kind of juice from what they called Punga Fruit. Apparently it functioned as a natural radaway. After Moreno, Johnson was escorted away, then Kreger and finally Daisy. Each returned after half and hour or so and said they were told not to discuss the debriefings until they were all finished.

"Arcade Gannon" The two power armored guards who escorted Moreno back turned to doctor. "If you would please come with us." Arcade simply nodded and followed the guards. When he exited the cage one of the soldiers held up a sack.

"What's that for?" Arcade eyed the bag suspiciously.

"For security purposes" replied the guard. Arcade let out a sigh before taking the sack and putting it over his head. He didn't understand why it was necessary to keep the location of the interrogation room a secret.

"Why is this necessary?" he mumbled through the bag as the soldiers led him past numerous brotherhood personal dressed in the usually colors.

"For security purposes." The two guards replied in unison. Even though they couldn't see Arcade roll his eyes but he did so anyway. Arcade decided to drop the futile argument. He was escorted inside somewhere and pushed down onto a chair in front of a metal table. When they pulled the bag from his head he saw he was in a pitch-black room. When suddenly four bright lights shined in front of him, revealing the shadowy silhouette of the colonel with his hands held together.

"Let us begin" the Colonel said plainly, "Your name is Arcade Gannon. You were born in 2246, four years after the Poseidon Oil Rig was destroyed. Your father died on mission shortly there after. After the destruction of Navarro you and the others tried unsuccessfully to integrate into the NCR. Your mother died when you were still young and Daisy was like a mother to you after that." Arcade said nothing as the man in front of him read his own life back to him.

"If any thing I say is inaccurate please correct me." Though Arcade couldn't see it through the bright lights shining behind him. He guessed the smug son of a bitch was smirking. "I will" he shrugged.

Jack nodded and flipped to another page before continuing. "Your attempts to integrate met with failure due to the relentless way the NCR and the Brotherhood of Steel perused Enclave personnel they considered war criminals." These words unsettled the doctor. When the colonel used the words war criminal the tone wasn't ironic or sarcastic. He said it the way Johnson would say it or the way Arcade he might say it. But how could someone other then a patriot reaches the rank of colonel.

"Eventually you settled in the Mojave wasteland, where you became a doctor for followers of the Apocalypse, and the others settled into lives as loners and scavengers, until a man known as the Courier recruited you all to fight against Caesar's Legion at Hoover dam. You then flew here far way from any pursuit." He paused obviously waiting for Arcade to finally say something.

"You know a lot about us then?" Arcade pushed his glasses back up his face. Not that it mattered he couldn't see much of anything with the light shining in his eyes.

"Moreno was very through in his debriefing, I also know your favorite color is blue; you like to eat Gecko kebabs. As a child you had a stuffed bear named Mr. Bigglesworth…. and you're a gay.

Arcade's eyes widen in surprise and he slumped back into his chair. "He was thorough."

"Yes he was…" the tone and pause made Arcade think something bad was about to happen. "He was quite thorough about everyone, except Henry. He had almost nothing to say about him." There it was Moreno wouldn't have betrayed Henry as a deserter, but Henry caught attention because Moreno didn't have much to say about him or maybe he Colonel as simply asking because it wasn't. Arcade remembered what the Courier had said about a good lie. A good lie was wrapped in the truth. Catching 100% Brahman shit was easy. But only 5% was much harder. The remnant had planned ahead of time what they might say if asked about Henry.

"He was scientist, an expert in the field of cyber-genetics; his work included experimental treatment for FEV mutations, cybernetics in enhancements in humans but especially for dogs. " Arcade decided to stick to Henry's work expertise.

"Oh yes, Moreno was quite thorough about Henry's work, he had all these details about everyone, old stories about times in Navarro after the loss of the Oil Rig. But Henry wasn't in those stories" Jack was smirking though Arcade couldn't see it.

Arcade remembered those words of the Courier; wrap a lie in the truth. Which is what he did. "Henry was away from the Oil Rig when it blew up and cut off from any soldiers who could have escorted him to Navarro. Its not like he could have marched for weeks across the wastes by himself."

"What was he doing so far from support?" Jack probed.

"You'd have to ask him, I wasn't even born until after the Oil Rig was destroyed we only reunited with Henry after Navarro was attacked" Arcade hopped the Colonel was satisfied and would move on. Thankfully he did. "Yes that is all consistent with what the others have told us, we'll check with Henry next."

The rest of the interview had more to do with what Arcade thought of the Enclave and their history what they did and how he felt about that. Arcade was careful to remain as neutral as possible. He couldn't stomach endorsing some of there actions and feared what criticizing them might do. He used languages such as did what they had to, or what they felt was necessary. But mostly he pointed out it happened before he was a born or when he was just a child.

"Are you any closer to deciding are fate" as exasperated Arcade Gannon finally asked towards the end of the interview. At this point he could see a second shadowy figure hand the Colonel a document of some kind.

"Oh" Jack said. "That's very interesting."

"Interesting how…."

"Well according to this file we uncovered, Dr. Henry was charged with desertion of his post back in 2241. He was considered AWOL and a traitor. His record is also that of a man who very often questioned the Enclave and what they did"

Arcade tensed up with worry for his old friend. He never heard of the Enclave being merciful or kind to deserters. But then the tumblers fell into place, and he had an epiphany. The colonel consistently referred to the enclave and there actions as they. He referenced them as an outsider would and if Jack wasn't real none of this was.

"Who are you really?" Arcade demanded.

"I'm Colonel Jack Romuald of the Enclave armed forces," he maintained. Arcade simply huffed while crossing his arms.

"You kept calling the Enclave they, Moreno the other remnants, they always referred to the Enclave and there actions as what we did, what we thought. You keep slipping up and talking about the Enclave as an outsider. Tell me I'm wrong."

Jack lowered his head and chuckled. "Your clever Arcade, I'll give you that one, so who do you think I am?" He leaned forward expectantly awaiting reply.

"I don't know, you obviously have access to Enclave technology and equipment, your also familiar enough with them to put up this façade so maybe your deserters yourselves or a technologically advanced group like the Brotherhood of steel" Arcade straitened up in his chair waiting for Jack to make the next move

"Though Casdin would certainly disagree" Jack smirked then shouted "lights" He face palmed when another spot light appeared behind him further blinding Arcade. "I meant all the lights." He shouted.

"Sorry" A voice in the background called back before the room lit up evenly revealing the banner of a sword and gears behind him.


	4. Chapter 4: Ain't That a Blow to the Head

Vertibird East: Chapter 4: Ain't That a Blow to the Head

Arcade and Jack stared at one another in silence for several minutes in the spartan room. The good doctor tried to wrap his mind around his situation. He had figured them to be outcasts or deserters from the Enclave not actual members of the brotherhood of steel. This was bad Arcade thought; the brotherhood didn't exactly like the Enclave. For that matter no one did, the people of New Arroyo had been anything but silent as to what the Enclave had done to them.

Jack was silent he motioned to check the time on his pip boy but quickly realized he wasn't wearing it. He waited for Arcade to say or do something.

Though Arcade was sitting motionless his mind raced. Why did they pose as Enclave? He questioned. I suppose it made taking our technology easier. He answered himself. What was the point of these interrogations? He wondered but once again came up with an answer. Know the enemy and know yourself. The most prominent thought was how to escape.

The first obstacle was he was unarmed; the entire Remnant had been stripped of their weapons and armor. So Arcade would need to first fight the man in front of him unarmed. Arcade wasn't confident he could take this guy unarmed. Then there was the problem of the armed guards outside. Then he'd need to find Kreger and the others and get them out of that cell. Then they'd need to retrieve their Vertibird and fly away to safety Arcade was really missing the Courier right now.

Deciding to go for it Arcade lunged across the table, or would have if not for the sudden appearance of a .44 magnum pointed at his face. As it happened Arcade had barely left his chair before Jack had the gun aimed at his head.

Arcade smiled sheepishly. "Can't blame a guy for trying" With a resounding crack a power armored fist collided with the back of his head. The doctor had failed s notice that Sarah Lyon's had been silently standing behind him during the whole interrogation. Though his head was spinning he could feel his body being shoved back into the chair and make out the sound of people arguing as he was being handcuffed to the chair by both the wrists and the ankles. He could vaguely make out the sound of three people arguing one was a woman, the other sounded like Jack and the third was an older man

He soon felt the familiar [censored] of a stimpack, which eased the throbbing pain in his skull and his blurry vision slowly returned. He looked up to see Jack looking quite board; next to him stood the blonde woman who struck him, she looked at him coldly with a plasma rifle at the ready.

"Is this really necessary?" he asked pulling on his brand new shackles. Jack responded with an indignant snort.

"You attacked me, count yourself lucky," he pointed to Sarah with his thumb. "Sarah here wanted to take you outback and have you shot." Sarah simply nodded an affirmative. "She can be quite protective like the big sister I never had." A part of Arcade hoped he was joking, another part hoped that Jack was this forgiving.

"Count yourself lucky Jack's wife wasn't here, she'd have eviscerated you with her electrified sword" Sarah smirked.

"Yeah my wife is one cranky pregnant lady" Jack laughed. "I have to ask Arcade had you by some miracle managed to overpower me and get out the door that's locked from the other side". Jack gestured to the exit and much to Arcade's chagrin he noticed the door had no handle. "What would have been your next move?"

"All I had do was find my friends, break them out then escape in a vertibird, my plan was perfect save for one tiny thing"

"Which was?"

"I lack the physical and combat skills necessary to pull it off" Both Jack and Sarah chuckled at his admission.

"Why did you pose as Enclave?" Arcade decided to try and be the one who asked questions, it was better then sitting here waiting to be roasted. "Was it simply for our benefit or have you been at this awhile?"

"The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord." Jack answered plainly. "You landed, surrendered your technology, and willingly gave up information, if we'd been honest from the beginning we'd have probably ended up blowing you out of the sky."

"I suppose I should at least be thankful for that much, so how did the brotherhood come into possession of Enclave aircraft and power armor?" Arcade realized he had to understand the situation, if his friends were to make it out alive.

"Ah, the war." Jack sat back in his chair interlacing his figures. "Its kind of a long story so I'll give you the abridged version." Jack paused for a good minute or two gathering his thoughts. "It all started roughly twenty five years ago, my father James and my mother Catherine, had a dream. Project Purity a machine built into the Jefferson memorial with the purpose of purifying all the water in the tidal basin."

"So Project Purity was headed by your parents?" Arcade asked for further clarification. "Were they brotherhood?" Arcade was assuming that like most members of the organization Jack was a descendent from the original.

"No" Jack shook his head. "The brotherhood provided security for the scientist working on the project, my mother died giving birth to me, which caused my father to abandoned the project for nineteen years to look after me."

"But after nineteen years he returned?"

"Yes, We got the old team back together Dr Li and a few others and headed for the memorial. My father had learned what was need to complete the project a G.E.C.K, before we could even finish turning on all the lights The Enclave arrived, before that day they were little more then a legend"

"They must have guessed if someone was returning to a project that was abandoned for twenty years someone must have figured out the problem" Arcade mused.

"That's as good an explanation as anything, they demanded my father yield control to Enclave authority, when he refused they murdered one of the researchers. My father died to keep the Enclave from gaining control and to buy time for me and the others to escape"

Arcade gulped, as this latest bit of information. Arcade could tell Jack held great influence among the brotherhood and the survival of himself and the remnant, Jack having a very personal reason to hate the Enclave did not bode well for them.

"We fled to the Citadel the home base of the brotherhood of steel; with their help I located a GECK. After securing the GECK being captured and escaping from the Enclave… blowing up their base Raven's Rock in the process."

"So you basically escaped from almost the exact same situation I'm in now?" Arcade raised his eyebrow. The Courier had done some crazy things back in the Mojave and this was right up there with all of them.

"After returning to the Citadel, the brotherhood and I launched an assault to reclaim the purifier, it was successful and the war eventually led us to Adam's Air Force Base. Where I destroyed the Mobile Base Crawler you saw outside when you landed. For my services I earned the brotherhood rank of Sentinel."

"So" Arcade straightened himself up in the chair. "What do you plan on doing with all of us?"

"Honestly" Jack stroked his chin. "Its not my decision, The Elder will decide what to do with you" Arcade sighed, of course he wasn't to familiar with the internal political structure of the brotherhood but The Elder was the man in charge.

"No he won't" Sarah interjected with a wirily smirk. "He's left that decision to you."

"Ah Crap!" Arcade and Jack said in unison, but for different reasons. Arcade didn't like the idea of someone with a personal grudge against the Enclave deciding there fate and Jack preferred to deal out death and judgment against people who were already shooting at him.

Before the duo could contemplate the situation further things got much worse. The door burst open and in ran a young dark haired Initiate. He was clearly sweating and gasping for breath

"You've better a damn good explanation for bursting in hear Initiate Maxson!" Sarah barked. The young man cringed at Sarah's drill instructor tone but quickly stood at attention still out of breath from running all the way here.

"The prisoners…. They're demanding to speak with you, one of them Moreno I think is going berserk. "Maxson said between breaths, but still maintaining his stiff posture, less Sarah reprimand him again.

"Any idea why?" Jack demanded.

The young Arthur Maxson simply shook is head no. "They said something about a book but refused answer questions until the colonel arrived." He panted still out of breath from his frantic run across the compound.

"Alright Initiate, good job" Jack smiled, which made Arthur beam with pride. "Now you can help us escort Arcade here back to his friends and see if we and settle this once and for all" Arthur nodded and moved to begin unshackling Arcade from the chair. Arcades moment of physical freedom was short lived as his arms were now shackled behind his back.

"I'll catch up in a few minutes, I'll change into something less conspicuous" Sarah said before heading out the door ahead of them.

As they walked back towards the cells this time without the hood Arcade could take the place in. From the state of things he surmised the place had gone unscathed during the war, that or either the Brotherhood or the Enclave had done extensive restorations. The only real wreckage was the Mobile Base Crawler he could see a few people and robots scavenging parts and equipment from the inside. Arcade guessed it take a decade or more to clear the wreckage if they wanted to scavenge every last usable part. One interesting bit of work did catch his eye, several people were using laser-cutting tools to carve a statue, and beneath it was a plague.

_I am Alpha and Omega, _

_The beginning and the end. _

_I will give unto him that is athirst of the _

_fountain of the water of life freely._

The statue was of man resembling Jack but much older. Arcade guessed it must have been dedicated to Jack's father. Arcade wondered if there was a statue to Jack around somewhere, he seemed important enough for one. Sarah soon caught up to them wearing an enclave officer uniform.

As they approached near to the cell Arthur was replaced by one of the brotherhood wearing the black colored hellfire armor. The sounds of repeated impact against the shield was evident even from a distance. When they arrived at the cell Moreno was angrily slamming a chair repeatedly into the force field he was tried, sweating and clearly out of breath but kept at it. The brotherhood in the area was still wearing enclave colored power armor, one of them even had on an officers uniform.

"What is the meaning of this soldier stand down!" Jack barked, much to Arcade's surprise Moreno stopped and took a step back before he took another swing. A fruitless effort but Arcade knew the man to be venting his frustrations.

"Your no colonel"! Moreno barked back taking another swing at the force field. The impact reverberated across the field like ripples on the water. Arcade thought about speaking up but quickly decided against it, maybe because aggravating them further would only hurt his family; maybe he just wanted to see how they figured it out. But it was probably the plasma rifle digging into his back.

"And just how did you come to that conclusion?" Jack questioned keeping up his drill instructor voice.

"We took a look at this book Arcade there was reading" Judah held up the copy of the wasteland survival guide. Jack and Sarah's eyes widened with surprise and Arcade could make out them mouthing the words "Son of a bitch."

"Ah you read the inside cover did you?" Jack smirked. Arcades eyes widened in surprise, he read the book a couple times but only bothered with the inside over back in the Mojave when he traveled with the Courier.

"And a very interesting read it is" Johnson sneered "Lead Author and Subject Matter Expert, Jack Romulad" Now Arcade remembered where he heard that name before Jack had written that guide.

"So what, I helped write a guide for surviving in the wasteland, how does that effect my rank" Jack shrugged.

"It says you're from Vault 101." Henry shot back. The accusation didn't phase Jack in the slightest he simply played his part that much harder.

"What of it? The vaults contain some of the last bastions of the pure humanity it's the perfect place to find new recruits" Jack.

"Maybe so" Daisy mused, "But it also says you were nineteen years old." Arcade knew they had him now they'd discovered his secret from a book he left just sitting around. Still he felt incredibly stupid for not remembering the author of a book he read several times over.

"We thought you just looked good your age." Moreno yelled taking another swing at the force field. "But there is no way a twenty three year old kid achieved the rank of colonel." Moreno finally dropped the mangled chair he had been using to vent his frustrations. Arcade couldn't help but smirk at the irony of it. Jack may not have been Enclave but he had achieved the rank of Sentinel in the brotherhood. Arcade didn't know exactly what a Sentinel was but it sounded high ranking.

"Should you tell them or should I?" Sarah sighed.

"My name is Jack Romulad, and this is Sarah Lyons, we are both Sentinels in the brotherhood of steel. This is Adam's Air Force base formally home of the Enclave until we drove them out, this was after I blew up Ravens Rock and shot Colonel Autumn in the head." Jacks brief explanation was cold, and flat.

Moreno's reaction was not. "You murdering plundering bastards, savaging from the wasteland aren't enough you have to assault and murder the America to steal our technology!" Moreno resumed assaulting the force field this time with his fists.

"We saved Capital Wasteland from there tyranny we protected them slavery and death!" Sarah shot back. This quickly devolved into two of them slinging insults and rhetoric and dogma from both the brotherhood and Enclave respectively

"This could take awhile." Arcade mused. "Moreno has never once doubted The Enclave or its mission, he's a patriot to the end."

"Sounds like Sarah, but they should tire themselves… eventually" Jack responded, leaning back against the wall of the cage while the duo bickered.

After a few minutes Judah had finally had enough. "Moreno stand down, your yelling isn't going to accomplish anything." Moreno did as he was told stomping away from the force field.

"Now Sentinel Romulad, I would like to negotiate for our release." Judah's voice carried respect for Jack. The old captain knew aggression wouldn't work here. He hoped that he was dealing with a reasonable and merciful man.

"We have your ship, we have your weapons and armor, what could you possibly offer us?" Jack smiled.

"Exactly we have nothing to offer, we aren't a threat, theirs no reason to do anything to us." Arcade wasn't sure where Judah was going with this. It had that odd feel of circular logic.

"I supposed that's true" Jack stroked his chin.

"Trial by combat!" Moreno suddenly shouted. "We'll have a fight you and me, the winner decides our fate."

"What!" Jack was taken back by the ridiculousness of that request. The entire Remnant, Sarah, and the brotherhood knights nearby all face palmed.

"Moreno the brotherhood doesn't have trial by combats" Daisy scoffed, "Do you?"

Jack turned to look at Sarah, who merely shrugged. "I honestly have no idea where he got the idea we have trial by combat, just because we use medieval titles like knight, scribe or paladin doesn't mean we have there code of justice."

"That's what I figured" Jack chuckled, "But that does give me an idea, return Arcade and return him to his cell, and I suppose give them a radio, I'll have a word with Elder Lyons first"

Arcade was relived to finally have his wrists free, even if he was going back into the cell, one of the knights handed him a radio, which he carried inside. He flipped on the radio during the middle of "Pistol Packing Mama"; they talked while listening to the centuries old toons.

"Trial by combat…" Henry shook his head, "That was just brilliant." He gave his old friend sarcastic thumbs up.

"I didn't see anyone else coming up with something, I figured those brotherhood savages called themselves knights so they must settle things like them to." he huffed.

"I suppose that's not as stupid as what I did" Arcade hung his head.

"What you do sonny?" Daisy gave the doctor a motherly pat on the back.

Arcade told the story of his interrogation; from the minute he arrived in the room right up to his return. Johnson laughed, Judah sighed, Daisy gasped and Moreno grunted.

"Damn savages, beating prisoners is low" Moreno growled.

"Arcade attacked him," Judah noted. "Arcades lucky that Sentinel didn't shoot him, I know you wouldn't have hesitated in his position."

"I suppose that's a good sign." Johnson smiled, taking a swig of Aqua Pura.

"It means this Jack isn't ruthless." Henry finished. Before Three Dog's segment interrupted their discussion

T_his is Three Dog coming at you live from Galaxy News Studios. Here's the latest news on our hometown hero. A few days ago a band of scumbag slavers from the ruins of New York arrived here in The Capital Wastes hoping to sell some human property. But what to their wondering eyes should appear, why the Lone Wanderer and friends in power armor gear. The slaves went free and the slavers died, I love a happy ending. And speaking of our dear friend Jack, my source in Megaton says his wife is due any day now. So once again congratulations kid you'll make one heck of a dad. On a sadder note, a big gang of raiders has taken up resident in the ruins of Greyditch, and has been harassing everyone passing through the area, from water merchants to scavengers heading into the downtown DC ruins. So everyone steer clear, and give our friends in the brotherhood time to clear them out._

"Hmm he talks like Jack and the brotherhood out hear fight raiders and slavers all the time." Judah remarked. It did certainly seem strange to all of them. The brotherhood back west was only ever interested in technology. But that radio broad cast suggested otherwise at least here in the east.

"Ah gentlemen and lady" Jack said returning from his talk with the Elder. "After much discussion, its been decided your trial by combat will begin at dawn tomorrow. Your ordeal is quite simple, wipe out the raiders currently residing in Grayditch and you can consider it your new home if you wish or you're free to move on elsewhere."

"Why" Arcade questioned, "Why have us go kill those raiders, not that I have a problem with removing those kind of people."

"Its for your benefit really, your all affiliated with the Enclave, and someone around here is bound to talk so your secret probably won't stay one for long. But if you wipe out a band of raiders and make Capital Wasteland a safer place for everyone, maybe they'll keep there trap shut. It will also earn my seal of approval, if it works for Fawkes it will work for you" Jack stated simply.

"Whose Fawkes?" Daisy question.

"A friendly super mutant who can walk into most any community in DC and receive a warm welcome because of his affiliation with myself." Now Arcade and the Remnant had no clue to the world of difference between the east coast strain and the west coast strain of super mutants. They didn't even know there was an east coast strain. They did know that super mutants in the west faced more discrimination then even ghouls_. _If Jack could get people to accept a super mutant he could probably do the same from them.

"So are you up for it?" Jack smirked

The Remnant nodded an affirmative.


	5. Chapter 5: Before the storm

Vertibird East 5: Before the storm.

The remnant had all agreed to go along with the plan. It appeared no matter where you went in the wasteland favors were a currency. "I presume there is a reason your not sending in your own men to wipe out a simple group of raiders" Kreger questioned while a map of Greyditch was being set up in front of them using lunch boxes, sensor modules and other random items.

"Raiders might be a misnomer." Jack explained. "Technically they're made up of what's left of Talon Company a vicious band of mercs. Who'd do anything for money." The bile in Jack's voice was clearly evident remembering all the trouble Talon Company had caused him in the past.

"So what are these talon mercenaries armed with?" Johnson asked. He had a sinking feeling he wasn't going to like the answer. Sentiments shared by his fellows. Your typical band of mercs couldn't stand up to guys in power armor.

"And how many." Henry asked the second most obvious question.

"Scouting done by eyebots reports at least thirty mercenaries in combat armor. Armaments include, Type 93 assault rifles, sniper rifles with armor piercing rounds." The rifles could be of concern Kreger thought. An armor piercing round from a high power rifle could penetrate a power armor helmet and turn a troopers skull into pulp. He listens while Jack continued to list the talon's armaments.

"Many of them are equipped with laser rifles and even a handful of plasma rifles probably taken during the war. They have combat shotguns, three or four missile launchers and a supply of plasma and pulse grenades" Now Kreger understood these mercs were heavily armed. A direct hit from a missile launcher might not be necessarily fatal to a power-armored trooper but you'd be lucky to get up after that. The energy weapons were certainly a threat especially the pulse grenades.

"I don't see why you guys don't just bomb the hell out of them with your stolen Vertibirds" Moreno grumbled.

"That brings us to the last problem" Jack stated firmly. "They stole a crate containing four of our Tesla Cannons."

"I've handled one before back west why is that such a big deal?" Arcade asked. He recalled the Tesla weapon he and the Courier recovered around that crashed Vertibird.

"Old Rothchild figured out how to modify the design to disrupt the power systems of an active Vertbird the end result is one shot and kaboom." Jack made the motions of aiming and firing the shoulder-mounted weapon.

"Still don't see why you don't do it." Moreno growled.

"Because sending us is a win-win scenario for them either we succeed and eliminate a problem or we die and at least soften them up and they lose nothing." Kreger pointed out. "Why risk losing even one of there own men if they don't have to."

While the Remnant discussed strategy Sarah pulled Jack aside.

"Are you sure about this, we've been planning for weeks to take out those Talon scum." Her icy stare had little effect on him.

"I don't think we need to worry about them starting trouble but pulling this off will help alleviate anyone else's misgivings, besides where can they go? Megaton has no vacancies not until the expansions are finished in a couple years. "

"What about Rivet City?" Sarah countered.

"They won't let anymore shacks be constructed on the flight deck, and there a long way from cleaning up the bow section or constructing the bridge to even reach it."

"Big Town." Sarah suggested before remembering. "Oh yeah Mayor McCready."

With a sigh she was forced to admit he was right. None of the settlements would be eager to take them in especially in light of them being former members of the Enclave.

Meanwhile The Remnant had there own discussion.

"The least they could do is give us back our dam power armor instead of letting us borrow that T-45d antique crap." Moreno grunted

"For once I agree with him." Johnson said. He didn't like the idea of losing there equipment they kept preserved for years and then having to do the brotherhood a favor just to get out of lockup. On the other hand he understood. The list of the Enclaves sins was long, kidnapping, slavery, experimentation on human beings, attempted mass genocide if the rumors from New Arroyo were true. Once he had sat in a cave waiting for death to take him for the sins he had committed while part of the Enclave.

"It's the brotherhood they don't give up advanced technology." Arcade answered. "I don't like the idea of losing my fathers armor but I like the idea of spending the rest of my life imprisoned or being executed even less." He let out a heavy sigh and wondered if he made the right choice. By fighting alongside them he had no choice but to leave to stay ahead of the NCR rangers. The brotherhood here felt quite different from the one in the west. But he hadn't put I together yet. "Listen we don't have a lot of choice, They put Jack in charge of our fate and he came up with this idea for us to prove ourselves so lets get it done."

"Arcades right." Kreger said. "They have no reason to trust us, no reason not to kill us, considering they just ended a war against the Enclave few years ago they've been remarkably nice to us."

Even Moreno had to admit it was true, if the NCR had captured them they'd all be in prison for the remainder of their lives. Maybe if he squinted really hard he could pretend those Talon mercs were members of the NCR and the Brotherhood it make him feel better.

"The diner should provide adequate cover and give us a good vantage point to take out men they have stationed up on the roofs. " Kreger said bring them back to the matter at hand.

"What if they start retreating to the metrotunnels, I don't like the idea of chasing heavily armed mercs down a narrow passage." Henry said imagining them going into a narrow corridor and having multiple missiles and pulse grenades shot at them.

"The brotherhood have mined Marigold Station and have a Squad waiting on the otherwise incase Talon tries to gain access to the ruins of downtown DC." Kreger answered.

For hours they discussed routes the enemy may take to reinforce or retreat from position. Looked over photos of the area taken by eyebots to figure out all possible points of cover. Kreger made the decision to attack just before dawn and use the cover of darkness to land the first strike.

Afterwards the Remnant bunkered down for the night and Jack went back to Megaton for a fabulously evening of being yelled at for having been gone all day.

Meanwhile the last bastion of Talon Company was making the final preparations for the inevitable assault by the brotherhood.

"Commander is there something you wanted to talk with me about?" a young dark haired Talon merc asked the gray haired commander. The commander of Talon Company had set his office up in one of the houses the former residents of Grayditch occupied before

"Dutch Lebario I have a special assignment for you." He said plainly.

"I'm honored sir" Dutch replied.

"Sometime soon the brotherhood will begin an assault on our fortifications here. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but they will come. We've prepared a special surprise for them." His sinister voice was almost giddy.

"What kind of surprise sir?"

"A pulse field." He smirked. "It took quite a bit of work to setup especially with those Eyebots spying on us. Once active any one in power armor down on the streets will get fired they'll be helpless and easy pickings."

"So what is my assignment sir?"

"We don't have enough power to keep the pulse field active, we'll have to wait until we lure them into Greyditch." His vicious stare would be enough to make almost anyone shudder but Dutch wasn't just anyone. "Your job is to guard the generator alongside Victor when we give you the signal flip on the power and we'll fry a whole platoon of those motherfuckers. With any luck the Lone Wanderer will be among them."

"I won't fail in my duty sir." Dutch saluted.

End of Chapter 5:

Brownie points to whomever figures out where I got Dutch Lebario's name.


	6. Chapter 6: We have Company

Vertibird East 6: We have Company.

The sound of a whistle startled Arcade from his slumber. He fumbled for his glasses while the rest of the remnant was out of bed and standing tall at attention. "Move it, we ship out in ten minutes." Kreger's booming voice commanded.

Arcade stumbled out of bed and started equipping the T-45d power armor the brotherhood provided. He was never quite comfortable in power armor it felt like a steel coffin. He supposed if he died it be a bit more literal. He was about half way done when Daisy came up to help him into the rest of the armor as the old remnant had suited up in a quarter of the time. Moreno would have slept in the armor had they provided it the night before.

Arcade took a last breath of unfiltered air before sealing the helmet around his head. The optics immediately kicked in giving the world a green hue. Standing together they looked almost identical. Outsiders to the brotherhood and the enclave often wondered how the soldiers could tell each other apart. The answer was quite simple. The power armor optics could remotely read the holotags up to ten meters away. This armor felt a bit seemed a bit different it was displaying the current medical condition of the rest of the squad.

"Is this standard issue T-45d?" Arcade question. That question was soon answered by the armor "Listen up you God-damned puke! You are now wearing prototype medic power armor, mark two." It carried the familiar drill sergeant voice common in military models of Mr. Gutsy's.

"You've got to be kidding me." Arcade groan.

"I never kid soldier." The armor boomed inside the helmet. "I have been further upgraded to monitor the health of the entire squad not just my wielder." It was a good thing the rest of the remnant already had their helmets on otherwise Arcade could see them smirking.

"Is this someone's idea of a joke." Arcade looked around expecting an answer.

"Its no joke." a brotherhood scribe spoke. "I developed those modifications based on a suit of armor recovered from Old Only by Sentinel Romuald. I believe it has great potential as squad support."The remnant turned to the scribe who identified himself as Bowditch. "I made further improvements in the design by incorporating the medical scanning software used in pipboy technology.

"If it's so important why am I the one wearing it?" Arcade question.

"I had difficulties finding someone willing to test the armor…." Bowditch sighed, "So Sentinel Lyon's suggested I have you test it out."

Arcade let out another groan, but soldiered on with the others onto a waiting vertibird. They flew south from Adam's Airforce Base and landed outside the ruins of a SuperDuper Mart. They exited calmly and silently to see the waiting squad of brotherhood personal.

"What were those for?" Moreno gestured to the old chains and hooks dangling from the building and light posts.

"The old raider gangs used to string bodies up on them." Their pilot Junior Knight Pek answered.

"Sound like a bunch of sick twisted bastards to me." Johnsons said. The rest of the remnant only nodded in agreement. Arcade grimaced at the thought. He dared not ask if they were alive before being strung up. He didn't want to think about someone dangling alive from one of those rusty hooks. They headed south along the broken buckled road when they reached the fork in the road they stopped suddenly.

"What's going on?" Arcade questioned?

"Look" Daisy said pointing east. Arcade recognized the sight immediately. The Washington monument stood proudly in the distance battered and almost skeletal it towered above everything else. Johnson was surprised such an old structure could survive the war. Moreno thought of it as the old U.S of A giving the reds the finger saying HA we survived. Or at least Arcade imagined that's what Moreno would be thinking.

They continued up the road south until they reached the wreckage of two cars. They made a right and headed west towards an old billboard with an Enclave propaganda poster plastered over it. They all assumed the guy in the suit must have been president Eden.

"Rebuilding America's Future Today" Moreno read the poster allowed. "A dream denied… twice" Moreno considered taking it down before some brotherhood punk destroyed it, but figured he couldn't lug it around now. He'd come back later to preserve it, hoping the fence he made his way towards the sewer way station.

Kreger gave poster a simple salute before joining Moreno. Henry had ignored it completely and had turned towards. "Would have been better Vertibird" was all Daisy had to say.

To Arcade it was simply propaganda, no different then the posters the NCR used to support its war against the legion. He wondered if anyone here bought into the image of the friendly guy in power armor playing with children and shaking hands. Or did everyone in Capital Wasteland see them as the devils in black they were vilified as back west. He turned and joined the others leaving only Johnson.

Johnson stared at the image; he imagined the 'truth' of it. Instead of the happy family hanging off the solder like he was a super hero. He saw him massacring them. The reasons didn't matter they were impure, there settlement had encouraged onto government property. Or maybe the commander felt the squad needed some live target practice. The poster reminded him of all the sins he committed in service of the Enclave justified by while for Johnson they just couldn't be justified he wasn't like Moreno or Sutler in that regard. He left the poster behind and joined the others at the sewer station. From the wreckage of an old bus in front the sewer station the remnant headed southeast towards the open ruins of some office building. From there they swiftly moved south west into position on the ledge behind the old Dot's Dinner.

As expected they could see a few of the talon mercenaries mulling about the area, a few on the rooftops and a few on the ground. One of them wielding a Tesla Cannon was to the east on the roof of a building above an old nuka break poster. To the southeast was an old green apartment building an enclave poster was plastered on the side. A watchful talon mercenary wielding sniper rifle patrolled the roof. If the intelligence was true he had armor piercing rounds.

In the diner below a couple talon mercs were using it for seating over a stinky bowl of molerat stew. Arcade took aim with a scoped laser rifle to the east. Johnson did the same to the south.

Daisy readied a plasma grenade, while Moreno, Henry and Kreger focused a plasma rifle, pistol and a Gatling Laser at a Talon merc visible through the broken second floor of a building on the east side of the former Brandice 's House.

"Three, two one go!" Kreger counted down and in perfect unison they fired, two precision shots took out the mercs on the roof while the grenade exploded taking out three or more of them having lunch while a hail of energy weapon fire turned another into dust and goo. Leaping from the ledge they proceeded into grayditch. Moving in a circular formation they moved in keeping a watchful eye in all directions.

Two Talon mercenaries popped up on the second floor of the building just across from Lesko's old shack they opened fire with there assault rifles. They shrugged off the fire from the Type 93 assault rifles in the T-45d the most that weapon could do was burse them slightly.

"Its brotherhood switch to AP rounds!" one of them shouted.

"Were not fucking brotherhood!" Moreno shouted before unloading with his Gatling Laser he was swiftly joined by the others. The mercs were dead before they even reloaded. They continued down the street wary of another ambush blasting any mercenary who reared their ugly head. They passed an old playground and came to a ramp that was once a bridge, they marched up the ramp and headed south continuing the sweep, as they approached a fork in the road a missile went whizzing by impacting the building behind them sending bits of concrete flying.

"Try not to get us blown up!" Arcade's armor demanded, much to the blonde doctors annoyance.

South west of them on the roof of the building just behind the Marigold station entrance stood two more Talon mercenaries one wielding a missile launcher the other a plasma rifle "Blast them before he reloads" ordered Kreger, that missile could have crippled or killed some of them if it landed a direct hit. The remnant open fire but the mercenaries ducked down avoiding the blasts of laser and plasma.

"Head west we'll take cover behind that building" Kreger ordered. He knew the Talon's could pop up anywhere on that rooftop which gave them the advantage. They took a moment to breathe once behind the building a scream from above startled the remnant who then looked up to see a Talon mercenary falling off the roof above them he hit the ground with a bone crunching thud a pulse grenade clenched in his hands. He looked as if he had been impaled on a sword. They looked around but saw nothing.

"That was unexpected" Moreno grinned. "But certainly not unwelcomed." Daisy knelt down and picked up the pulse grenade.

"Lets leave this mystery for later" Kreger said. "Lets see if we can use this roof here for our advantage." Careful to avoid the line of sight to the old pillared building where their missile-launching friend was hiding they went inside.

The talon mercenaries had weeks ago pried the boards off this and many other buildings in the area. They carefully moved up the building watchful for traps or anyone waiting to ambush them. Once up top they saw the decapitated body of another talon mercenary.

"Look at this, he has burns around the neck, like the blade was electrified." Henry commented. That was certainly an unusually sounding weapon Arcade thought. They looked south to see if they could spot the two talon mercenaries from before. And as luck would have it he popped his head above cover and looked down trying to find them. Johnson's laser blast buzzed right by his ears singeing the man's hair but causing him to quickly take cover again. "Jump!" Kreger shouted right before the mercenary popped up again firing a missile right at their former location. The remnant leaped roof and down to the street avoiding the explosion.

But things got worse for them from around the alley just to the southwest wheeled a sentry bot Gatling Laser firing. As they scattered to avoid the robots missile Daisy tossed the pulse grenade taken from the dead Talon Mercenary. The rest of the remnant open fire on the sentry bot while it twitched from the after effects of the pulse weapon, it exploded in a hail of metal and smoke before it could do anymore harm.

Remembering the missile-launching merc up on the roof to the south they jumped to their feet, and scrambled to the west. They were soon standing near the same green apartment building where Johnson nailed the talon sniper. Arcade screamed in pain as a plasma blast hit him square in the back. The remnant turned north to four Talon mercenaries in the building behind them attacking from the windows. Quickly returning fire they retreated for cover in the broken building they were previously in front of. Henry pulled Arcade inside to tend to his wounds while the others exchanged fire with the talon mercenaries.

"You all right son?" the old doctor question. "Of course he's fine." The armor answered. "I am programmed to dispense medication as needed!"

"Maybe your not so bad after all" Arcade mused. Henry helped him to his feet and they joined the others in gunning down the four talon mercenaries. The fight only lasted a few more seconds before the mercs lay dead. Aside from a few minor plasma and laser burns the group was fine. After securing the energy weapons and ammo from their fallen foes they moved on.

Johnson went up the stairs of the building from the window Johnson opened fire on two Talon Mercenaries wielding laser rifles on the second floor of the building just across the alley where the Sentry Bot had emerged.

The others moved through the doorway where a Talon Merc leapt from the closet to the west. He fired a slug from his combat shotgun knocking Moreno over. Kreger quickly melted his face with a plasma pistol. The slug hit with such force you could see the dent in his armor.

"You alright." Henry asked, while Daisy and Arcade helped the old patriot to his feet.

"My chest hurts." he grumbled

"A combat shotgun slug at point blank range will do that to you." Arcade stated calmly "According to the medical data this armor is feeding me you have three broken ribs but no internal bleeding."

"I can still fight" Moreno grumbled. "Thank the U.S of A for power armor you'd be scraping me up off the walls in any regular combat armor."

"Thank you for the lovely image." Daisy scowled. The rest of them continued south they crossed the alley and entered the ruin of another building; the one with the talon mercs Johnson was exchanging fire with. They quickly gunned down a Mr. Gutsy hiding in this buildings east closet; Arcade and Moreno stormed up the stairs and took the two mercs by surprise eliminating them, they also found one of the Tesla Cannons, two more and the brotherhood could safely send in the Vertibirds.

It was at that moment not one but two missile-launcher wielding talon mercenaries popped up from the roof of the pillared building. Johnson fired twice in quick succession scorching the mercs his arms and chest and sending the missile launcher tumbling to the street below.

"Suck on this!" the second missile-launcher talon shouted before a blade impaled him from behind. He and his weapon quickly went tumbling off the roof. Arcade and Moreno looked up to see the sword-wielding figure. The man fired a line gun at the concrete wall behind them, after securing it on both ends he quickly arrived via his newly made zip-line. He then silently detached the clamp from the wall.

"Thanks for the help now and before." Arcade said shaking his hand.

"Your welcome" he replied while giving the line three mighty tugs causing it to go slack. He then silently attached it to the line gun, which proceeded to reel it in.

"Jack Is that you in the stealth suit?" Moreno asked recognizing the voice but not at all surprised.

"_A good soldier charges into battle stealth is for the weak!"_ Arcade's armor chimed in.

"Oh so Bowditch found a victim eh?"

"Why must it speak" Arcade sighed.

"Long story, I'll tell you later. I've secured two of the Tesla Cannons how about you?"

"The same" Moreno answered.

"Nice to see you joined the party." Kreger said as the rest of the remnant ascended the stairs.

"I got here before you did, nice job by the way. I loved how you took out those five guys simultaneously you really knocked their defenses for a loop." Jack smiled.

"So the rest of them are holdup in that building there?" Kreger gestured to the pillared structure before them.

"We believe so." Jack raised his pipboy to his face and fiddled with a few dials. "Rooftops secured, Tesla Cannons neutralized send in the main force." Within minutes the three Vertibirds were insight armed and ready, brotherhood knights began marching up from Marigold Station.

"Will you be joining us for this one?" Arcade asked.

"I'll slip into some power armor and join you in a minute." One outfit change later Jack was down on the street in a suit of hellfire armor painted blue and gold with a 101 painted on the back. "Why didn't you just paint a target on my back could we make it any more obvious I'm the one wearing it" Jack grumbled.

"You could take the helmet off" Sarah joked.

"Alright we'll give them one last chance to surrender." An Initiate handed him a megaphone and Jack put it to use. "Nathaniel Stone, you and your men are hereby ordered to surrender your weapons and armor will be confiscated"

"What will you do with them if they surrender?" Arcade questioned. Jack was about to answer when.

"Attention brotherhood of steel" Nathaniel's voice echoed over a decaying PA system. I congratulate you on your efforts but must also say goodbye. Dutch activate the pulse field."

To be continued.

*For this fic I spent a lot of time wandering around Grayditch deciding where and when they could be attacked, typically by ambush.


	7. Chapter 7: Surprise

Vertibird East 7: Surprise

Time seemed to stand still; Jack remembered the pulse field from the anchorage simulation if the Anchorage Scenario was true they were royally fucked if that field went active. Nothing happened, and utter silence fell over Grayditch.

"Nothing happened." Arcade breathed a sigh of relief. Jack, the Remnant, Lyon's pride and the half a dozen additional knights they brought with them also breathed a sigh of relief.

[Meanwhile in the generator room]

"Activate the pulse field" Nathaniel's orders came over the radio.

"Lets fry those fuckers" Victor smirked turning to Dutch just in time to see a fist impact with his face. Victor went stumbling to the floor dazed and confused.

"You asshole, what the hell are you doing!" Victor pulled himself to his feet and caught an incoming roundhouse kick.

"Dutch you traitor" Victor screamed before giving Dutch an uppercut. He reached for his assault rifle but Dutch knocked it out of his hands.

"Come on Vic lets settle this mono-eh mono." Dutch smirked running a comb through his greaser hair while tossing aside his own 10mm submachine gun.

"So be it." Victor answered coldly before hitting Dutch upside the head with a police baton. In response Dutch tackled Victor to the ground, they wrestled for a few moments before Victor came out on top pinning Dutch and pressing the baton to Dutch's neck determined to watch the light fade from his eyes or to watch them pop out of his skull either was fine.

"Your mommas ever tell you how fucking ugly you are." Dutch kicked Victor off him sending the scar-faced man tumbling. "Jesus Christ I could see your fucking teeth through that hole in your cheek." Butch threw aside the dropped baton and got to his feet.

"My dad killed my ungrateful bitch of a mother." Victor swung twice at Dutch who effortlessly tumbled around behind him and gave a swift kick to his back. Victor impacted the wall and smiled when he saw the power switch.

"Dutch Victor activates the fucking pulse field!" Nathaniel's voice screamed over the radio.

"I don't think so." Dutch grabbed Victor and tossed him across the room. Deciding the fun was over Victor lunged for his Assault Rifle and he had just laid his fingers on it when Dutch kicked it away. Dutch went tumbling to the floor when Victor yanked his leg out from under him. Hoping to his feet Victor rushed for the generator switch and where Dutch had kicked his assault rifle. He swept up the gun and whirled around in time to see Dutch open fire with his recovered SMG.

"You missed!" Victor mocked.

"Did I?" Dutch smirked.

Victor looked back to see the smoking generator before it exploded sending him flying to the ground. Dutch gave him one last swift kick to the head to make sure he was out before exiting through the door and into the utility tunnel beneath the old pillared building.

With a pain filled groan Victor pulled himself to his feet. "Fucking greasy traitor." For a minute Victor thought about going after him but decided survival was more important the brotherhood would be storming this place any second. After quickly stripping off his armor he climbed into a nearby locker and closed himself inside.

When no pulse field went active it didn't take long before the brotherhood stormed the building. The Talon Mercenaries and pinned everything on their trap and it failed. With in minutes the remaining mercs had either been killed or had surrendered.

Arcade and the Remnant followed Jack back out of the building as he kicked a handcuffed Nathaniel out the door.

"I don't understand, this wasn't supposed to happen why didn't the fucking pulse field activate!" the former commander yelled, as he got back to his feet, rather impressively considering his hands were tied behind his back. He looked to see a group of knights tossing Dutch into the air.

"Dutch Lebario you fucking treacherous dog!" he screamed while being hauled off. The Knights set Dutch down who swaggered over to Jack. The two stared at one another for a moment.

"Jack!" Dutch yelled out stretching his arms.

"Butch!" Jack responded tossing his helmet aside. The two laughed and joined in a brotherly hug.

"Whose this?" Daisy questioned.

"This one of my oldest friends in the world Butch DeLoria." After Jacks introduction Butch gave a little bow.

"I used to bully him back in the vault."

"And in returned I beat the snot out of him." Jack laughed.

"Not all the time." Butch countered. "Remember the time we knocked each other out at the same time."

"Oh yeah" Jack laughed. "Amata said her father never laughed so long or so hard, how's she doing by the way?" At those words Butch looked like he was choking.

"Same as always, no time for boys to busy as The Overseer." Arcade could tell Butch was hiding something. It was painfully obvious he looked incredibly guilty.

"So why were the brotherhood giving you the hero treatment?" Johnson questioned.

"Well" Butch explained smugly. "I few weeks ago I infiltrated Talon Company and learned they we're planning a trap for the brotherhood. As luck would have it Nathaniel put be in charge of the pulse fields power generator the day before you attacked!" The old remnant looked at one another for a moment and nodded before hoisting Butch into the air.

"He's lying." Arcade said.

"I know." Jack sighed. "Amata and I were close growing up if I hadn't been forced to leave the vault behind forever I probably would have married her."

"So he's trying to protect your feelings?" the doctor guessed.

"Most likely, never mind the fact I moved on with my life. What would make me happy" Jack tapped his chest. "Is hearing she's moved on as well"

"Something's troubling me tough" Arcade leaned against the building, watching his family toss Butch into the air. "A pulse field is a highly advanced piece of technology how did these mercenaries manage to implement one"

"I can answer that." Paladin Glade exited the building pushing along indignant middle-aged woman with her hands tied behind her back. "She helped them implement the field."

"Anna Holt" Jack sneered.

"Friend of yours?" Arcade quipped.

"Hardly" Jack cracked his knuckles. "She was one of the scientists working on Project Purity before The Enclave attacked."

"How did you survive?" Arcade asked before she could answer Jack interrupted

"Treason" Jack answered. "She betrayed Dr Li, my father, the other scientists she threw her lot in with the Enclave." Anna said nothing but avoiding looking him in the eye.

"How did you escape Raven's Rock?" Jack watched that place blow sky high no one could have survived and if my some miracle they did they'd be buried under tons of rubble.

"I climbed aboard one of the last Vertibirds." She snarled. "They had the most advanced technology in the world and you killed them. Are you proud of yourself."

"You betrayed everyone you ever knew to play with shiny tech." Arcade could have sworn the fury in Jack's voice made even his power armor tremble. "They murdered Janice!" the Lone Wanderer raged. "In cold blood but you don't care about that do you?"

"It was more then just shiny tech, the things at their disposal scientific wonders like serums that could render he subject completely immune to radiation"

"And how many human captives did they sacrifice testing the miracle Rad-X." Jack snarled.

"Fifty-seven according to the records I read, but that sacrifice is minor compared to…." Her awe inspired justification was quickly interrupted, by Arcade slapping her.

"You can't possibly think that kind of research is justifiable, you're a monster!" Jack was certainly surprised by the doctors sudden out burst but not disappointed. Experimentations on Human subjects were one of the things that made Arcade ashamed of the Enclave.

"Take her to Rivet City" Jack ordered. "The local council should decide her fate." Glade nodded and led her off to one of the waiting Vertibirds.

"So what happens to us now?" Arcade asked deciding to put his anger at Janice's ethics or lack thereof behind. Janice unnerved him as she clearly brought back some negative feelings Jack held towards the Enclave.

"You live to fight another day solider!" Arcade's armor chimed in.

"You're free to go, you can stay here try and make a life for yourselves in Grayditch." Jack pointed to the ground. "Or mind your fortune elsewhere." He gestured to the horizon.

"Any chance we can get our old weapons and armor back?" The two burst out laughing the moment the words left his mouth. "You might be able to keep that armor though"

"No thank you"

It was then the noticed the celebratory crowd had gone silent. The crowd parted revealing a solemn looking knight captain Dusk carrying a bloody dog. Before Arcade could question the meaning of it Jack swiftly ran up to them.

"What… what happened?" he asked tearfully while Dusk passed the motionless dog to its owner.

"A few of mercenaries decided to make a run for it rather then stay and fight, we heard sounds of gunfire and went to investigate. They were attacking a Caravan… probably for food when they made a run for it." Dusk looked down and took a deep breath to regain his composure. "He jumped in and saved them, took out all of them by himself"

"What was he doing out here?" Arcade asked, by now the rest of the remnant had rejoined him.

"He must have followed me." Jack wept holding him close. "He doesn't that sometimes always had my back he was my dearest and most loyal friend." Dogmeat weakly lifted his head to lick his owners face. It was obvious to Arcade from the dogs injuries he wouldn't make it Sarah came up put a supportive hand on his shoulder. "I'll see that he is written about in the codex"

"Not to spoil this touching farewell" All eyes turned to Dr. Henry. "But we may yet save him."

Within ten minutes they were touching down at the Citadel. Henry had been giving instructions over the radio the whole time as to what kind of tools and equipment they'd need. Except for Henry and Arcade the rest of the remnant stayed behind.

Upon arrival they were greeted by several Initiates two holding a ready stretcher another a medical ventilator. Rothchild was with them as well.

"I've prepared the medical facility we can begin immediately." The elder scribe explained. Several initiates arrived to help Arcade and Henry quickly strip out of their power armor while they walked. Jack was doing all he could to maintain his composure. He watched as Arcade, Henry and Rothchild rushed his dear friend into the medical bay. All he could do now is wait.

"Gentlemen." Henry began. "We can rebuild him, we have the technology, we can make him better then he was, better… stronger, faster."

"Did you say that before every cyberdog conversion?" Arcade quipped. For this operation Arcade was little more then a nurse. He knew almost nothing about

Cyber-genetics.

"Your petty good at this Rothchild, any previous experience?" Henry complemented.

"I've installed implants on several members of the brotherhood, including extensive work on Jack Romulad." The elder scribe said plainly.

"Jack's a cyborg?" Arcade questioned.

"Well after the radiation exposure he suffered at the purifier he required far more then radaway, then there was the time he..."

The hours ticked by and Jack waited. But then finally the doctors emerged.

"Well." Dr. Henry looked stoic. "It will be a few more days before we can completely finish the body work but his life support systems are stable he'll probably outlive us all."

Jack leapt forward and hugged doctor Henry. Much to the old man's discomforted.

"You saved my dogmeat, thank you" he choked out.

"His name is dogmeat?" Arcade questioned.

"Don't ask." Rothchild sighed.

"Yeah, your welcome." Henry wanting this awkward moment to end pointed out Arcade's contribution. The old scientist breathed a sigh of relief when Jack moved on.

Arcade was used to dealing with the grateful families of patients. It wasn't the first time he was hugged for aiding in saving someone's life. It was the first time he was hugged for saving a dog though.

"He'll be unconscious until the remaining parts can be fabricated and installed but you can see him now." Rothchild informed him. Without a word Jack rushed in to see his beloved pet. The moment he opened the door he was tackled to the ground by the now cybernetic canine.

"I thought you said you'd need time to fabricate parts?" Jack laughed as Dogmeat licked his face was licked all over.

"We lied" Henry smirked. "We thought it be funnier this way."

"When we arrived here in DC." The elder scribe explained. "The pentagon had numerous robotic defenders including a few robodogs. So we had all the necessary parts on hand. Dr. Henry provided the expertise."

"Thank you again truly" Jack said as he pushed his dog off and got to his feet. "You saved a member of my family, I'd like to meet the rest come to my house for dinner."

Henry and Arcade looked to one another and nodded. "It would be a pleasure."

"What's for dinner then?" Arcade asked as they exited to the Bailey.

"Punga Fruit stew or whatever we happen to kill on the way back" Jack answered. Arcade laughed in response. "And just what makes you think I'm kidding?"


	8. Epilogue

In keeping with the traditions of Fallout the epilogue is done in a series of slides.

—Moreno  
>Though the brotherhood ultimately took possession of the power armor, vertibird and high end energy weapons. Lower tech equipment was return to the remnant. Among those items was a trophy Moreno scavenged during the second battle of hooverdam. An NCR ranger veteran was killed in the "crossfire." Moreno took it as a trophy. He traded it to Jack in exchange for his old power armor and weapons. The old patriot then headed east towards Chicago searching for the last embers of his America.<p>

— Kreger and Johnson.  
>The duo decided to remain in Grayditch it was good a place as any to get by. They turned the old pillared building Talon Company had occupied into a rest stop for travelers heading into the DC ruins. They even rented a few rooms to shop owners. Through their effort Grayditch started to become a thriving community again. Johnson found a measure of peace helping to build the community and was able to put some of the ghosts of his past to rest. Kreger was pleased to have led his squad safety. Not wanting them to drift apart like they did in the Mojave he hosted get-togethers a few times a year where the remnant would catch up on their lives. He always hoped Moreno would turn up but he never did.<p>

— Daisy  
>Including the one acquired from the Remnant the brotherhood had four functioning Vertibirds but only three people qualified to pilot them. Two of which had been part of Lyon's original expedition east. So when the brotherhood offered her a job as a flight instructor Daisy happily accepted. Politics, flags they didn't matter she got back into the sky. Among her students was Jack Romulad himself. She was quite pleased when he inherited her prefered extreme style of flying.<p>

— Arcade  
>The former member of the followers didn't stay in Grayditch long. He traveled the wastes for a while as a doctor healing those in need. Eventually and moved to Rivet City and took over the lab formally occupied by Dr. Li and her team. Using the hydroponics lab he labored to develop more potent forms of broc flower and xander root for more efficient stimpacks alongside a punga fruit extract for new forms or rad-away. In time other scientists and young minds came to join him. He went on to found "The Followers of Genesis" an organization holding to the ideals of the followers of the apocalypse but with a much less confusing name.<p>

— Dr. Henry  
>Henry came to occupy Dr. Lesko's old lab and remained in Grayditch for a number of years. Remembering how he helped the Nightkin back in Jacobstown he turned his research towards ghoulification hoping to slow or stop the mental degradation that caused some ghouls to become feral. Eventually he moved to underworld where he continued his research alongside Dr. Barrow and nurse Graves<p>

— Anna Holt  
>After being found guilty of betraying the people of Rivet City and allying herself with the Enclave. The Rivet City Council sentenced Anna Holt to death. She was hung from the flight deck until dead then thrown to the mirelurks. Many protested this decision claiming Anna should have been thrown to the mirelurks before she died. Jack said wanted to kick her into a pit full of radscorpions but he couldn't stop the sides from collapsing. No one was quite sure whether or not he was joking.<p>

**In response to ****Gerald**** review, as I can't do so personally.**

1: Jack's wife will be revealed in Fallout Journey's .

2: The Legion is based in Colorado, Arizona and parts of Utah. To reach DC they'd need to cross six or seven states. That's a lot of territory to conquer by the time they could fight their way to the east coast the remnant would have long died of old age.

3: Moreno remained a patriot of The Enclave for decades after the NCR destroyed Navarro. He's not going to go soft on the eastern brotherhood. I couldn't see him staying CW wasteland. I could not dishonor his character by having him go soft.


End file.
